Marsh Arts House Constitution

i. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

The Arts House exists to provide a supportive working atmosphere for student artists, and to foster the presence of arts on the campus.

A student living in the Arts House has access to the space for producing and displaying work, to the monetary resources of the Arts House Fund and the Kramer Fund, and to the immediate and present help of other student artists living in the Arts House. By giving student artists these resources, the Arts House facilitates the production and exhibition of student art, both in the House and on the main campus.

In providing student artists with a rich support system, the Arts House makes it possible to greatly increase the amount of art shown on campus in any year. The Arts House attempts to increase the awareness of art on campus by producing as much art as possible.

The Arts House seeks artists in all media who are interested in producing and displaying extra-curricular work, as well as artists interested in presenting non-student work. The Arts House also encourages those interested in organizing the production and exhibition of work by other student artists.

ii. HOUSE REQUIREMENTS.

Three requirements must be fulfilled by each house member. Participating in the house should be treated as a serious and important commitment. All House members should contribute to a supportive community within the House.

A. Every member of the Arts House will be responsible for INDIVIDUALLY originating and administering at least one House Event each semester. For these purposes, a House Event can be a weekly event, two small events, or one large event. A large event should require more than five hours of preparation. Arts House members are encouraged to present their own artistic work at these events. A formal proposal for an event must be submitted to the president by all members of the house by the first Monday after classes begin. This proposal should detail what the event will be, give tentative dates, and contain an estimated budget.

B. Every member must attend all house meetings, scheduled by the president once every two weeks for the first half of the semester, once every three weeks for the second half of the semester.

C. All members should participate in the projects of other members of the House and respect other members' needs in the production of their work. There will be an orientation program at the beginning of the year to allow members of the community to become familiar with one another.

iii. ARTS HOUSE ORGANIZATION.

The executive board of the Arts House has three regular positions: president, treasurer, and publicity coordinator. There will be at least bone faculty advisor to the Arts House, and the president works in concert with this advisor.

The president has several duties: coordinating House Events and keeping a schedule posted; overseeing the application process and making final decisions with a faculty advisor; overseeing and administering the review process; planning and running House meetings (once every two weeks in the first half of the semester, once every three weeks in the second half of the semester) to update the House on scheduling and to plan for House Events. These duties replace the president's normal duties as a member of the House, i.e., the president is not required to originate and administer an Arts House Event each semester.

The treasurer is responsible for administering the Arts House Fund and acting as a reference for all Kramer Fund proposals. At the beginning of the year, the treasurer goes to talk to the faculty advisor (currently Peter Lobdell or Tim Segar) about use of the Kramer Fund and to the administrative assistant in the Office of Residential Life to learn about how to manage house finances.

The publicity coordinator is responsible for making sure that every House Event is adequately and appropriately advertised in the House and on campus. The coordinator should be familiar with, or have access to someone who is familiar with, the scanning equipment in the computer center. It is suggested that publicity have three phases. The first phase in made up of a few double-sized (11" x 17") full-color scanned posters, put up two to four weeks before and event. The second phase is made up of regular sized (8 1/2" x II") black and white posters, posted aggressively on campus one to two weeks before the event. The third phase could include radio announcements, table tents, and publicity stunts. It is the duty of the coordinator to delegate responsibility so as not to be working alone. The publicity coordinator is responsible for one Arts House Event over the course of the year (but not per semester).

iv. APPLICATION PROCESS

The president initiates the application process according to the schedule provided by the Office of Residential Life. First, the Arts House advertises that it is accepting applications for the next year's membership. The president receives applications, and, with either a committee of House members NOT re-applying for admission to the house or with a faculty advisor, holds interviews with the applicants. The purpose of these interviews is to answer the applicant's questions about the Arts House, and then to ask the applicant what they believe they can bring to the House, in terms of individual events, organization, and enthusiasm. The president and committee or advisor make a list of next year's membership, along with a prioritized waiting list, and provides the list to the Office of Residential Life. The House can accommodate up to 25 members (including the RC); doubles should be filled if at all possible. v. FIRST HOUSE MEETING

This meeting occurs late in the spring semester (immediately after the College's Room Draw), and should be attended by all members of the next year's Arts House, including the RC-to-be, as well as the president and RC of the previous year. The Arts House Room Draw occurs at this meeting. This process is a simple lottery, with rising seniors drawing first, the rising juniors, then rising sophomores. If the doubles can be filled by volunteers, this is preferable. If any rising sophomores have already lived one semester or more in a one room double IN THE ARTS HOUSE, they cannot be compelled to live in a one room double for another full year, i.e., no person will be required to live in a one room double IN THE ARTS HOUSE for more than one full year. Members requiring special needs can voice their concerns to the group at this time. If the doubles cannot be filled voluntarily, or if a dispute cannot be resolved, they will be filled by simple lottery. At this time, the next year's president, treasurer, and publicity coordinator will be elected. vi. CONTRACT. Before the first House meeting, copy of this Constitution will be sent to all members for the following year, along with the following clause: "I have read and understand this constitution and accept the responsibilities of living in the house stated within." The new members must sign this clause and return it before the first house meeting.

vii. REVIEW PROCESS

Halfway through each semester, every resident must complete a self-evaluation form. The president and faculty advisor review these self-evaluations, and issue formal warnings to members not fulfilling the requirements detailed above. These warnings will be issued one week after evaluations are turned in, and will detail specific reasons for the warning. After being so warned. Arts House members who still fail to fulfill the above requirements will be asked to leave at the end of the semester. Anyone applying second semester to live in the House for the following year and receiving a warning second semester can be accepted to the House again only if they have shown at the end of the second semester to have fulfilled their obligations to the house satisfactorily.

I have read and understand this constitution and accept the responsibilities of living in the house stated within.

Written 3/26/95 by Stewart Moore and Jonathan Carr revised 4/1/96 by Amy Barczak